It's time to change the status quo.

Take a standagainst workplace abuse

Our lives depend on it.

#EndWorkplaceAbuse

we're talking about abuse that's

severe, targeted, and malicious.

When a supervisor or co-worker puts-down, sabotages, or otherwise humiliates, threatens, or intimidates an employee, it makes life miserable for that employee day after day. Workplace abuse is about those in power having too much power and grossly misusing it, often causing anxiety, depression, insomnia, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and suicidal thoughts with workers. It chips away at mental health, ruins self-esteem, and denies targets the dignity they deserve. Think domestic abuse but at work — with the same gradual feelings of low self-worth, self-blame, and isolation.

Workplace abuse is a serious national problem. According to the Workplace Bullying Institute, the foremost U.S. expert, it's "four times more common than sexual harassment or racial discrimination" on the job. Over a third of workers — "60.4 million — are affected by it" and experience or witness abuse during their working lives.

It's completely

unacceptable.

Employers get away with it because abusers convince targets they're the problem — and no one's holding those abusers accountable or those employers accountable for dealing with the abusers. When targets report the injustice, they often get ignored or retaliated against because employers don't have to address it — leaving hardworking people forced to choose between their health and a paycheck. We've come to accept this psychological torture and emotional abuse. It's normalized as "just the way things are done around here." People who complain about the abuse are labelled as troublemakers, sensitive, or in a personality conflict. But abuse always has right side and a wrong side.

It's not okay to blame workers for mistakes bosses made.
It's not okay to ridicule employees and spread gossip about them.
It's not okay to exclude employees from important emails and meetings.
It's not okay to set workers up for failure.
It's not okay to keep employees in fear of losing their jobs.

"to end sexual harassment on the job, end workplace bullying."

workplace abuse and #metoo

"Policymakers have enjoyed a free pass in discussions over what to do in response to the sexual harassment allegations taking down Hollywood producers, news media titans and actors. Because the worst of the transgressions already are illegal, lawmakers seem satisfied to call for culprits to be fired or to step down and for corporate and industry leaders to promise that they’ll crack down on offenders more quickly in the future. But legislators can do more to address the problem. They can make workplace bullying illegal. Too many corporate leaders find it expedient to look the other way when bosses — especially ones they deem indispensable — systematically intimidate and humiliate underlings. Bullies who believe that their whims matter more than other people’s dignity often don’t see why their sexual impulses shouldn’t be just as indulged."

David Lieberman

LA Times

We've had enough.

act now.

Governments regulate environmental health, but who's making sure employees' well-being is healthy? Governments only hold employers accountable for sexual harassment and discrimination, meaning only those who can prove sexual harassment and discrimination have protections. But what about those who are in a protected class (think sex, race, or age) who can't prove discrimination? And what about the others who endure the same abuse but aren't in a protected class or are in the same as their abusers?

It's time to stop tolerating the abuse. We shouldn't have to quit to stop the abuse.

It's time to hold employers accountable.

We accept nothing less than basic respect at work.

We deserve healthy and safe work environments — free from emotional abuse so we can do the work we were hired to do.

survivors of workplace abuse

bill of rights

We're committed to ensuring that all workers are guaranteed working environments in which they're treated with dignity. Every worker should have a right to feel:

Safe. Workers should have a right to a workplace free of verbal abuse, threats, sabotage, and abuse of any kind.

A sense of belonging. Workers should have a right to feel like we are included in an organization and part of a team.

Valued. Workers should have a right to feel like our contributions have worth and importance.

Respected. Workers should have a right to dignity and have our human needs and individual strengths and weaknesses honored.

Healthy. Workers should have a right to feel strong. We should have a right to work in environments that promote well-being.

Accomplished. Workers should have a right to information and resources necessary to do our jobs well so we can feel productive.

Supported. Workers should have a right to feel heard and receive appropriate responses when we voice concerns.

Fairly treated. Workers should have a right to reasonable expectations and similar standards for our colleagues.

Empowered. Workers should have a right to have power and control over our work for confidence and strength.

Part of a greater purpose. Workers should have a right to play a meaningful role in the reason our organizations exists.

It's time to end

the abuse.

We're a network of advocates from a variety professional backgrounds and sectors working collaboratively to create a national movement to end workplace abuse. We believe in the urgency to make workplaces safe, healthy, and inclusive for everyone.

We aim to raise awareness about the pervasive harms of workplace abuse, advocate for legislation that protects workers from abusive behaviors, build coalition and community with other grassroots efforts that align with our vision, explore and develop solutions and ideas, and make resources available to those impacted by workplace abuse, including those who've been directly targeted.

disclaimer

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